"Political language -- and with variations this is true of all political parties, from Conservatives to Anarchists -- is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind."
-- George Orwell, Politics and the English Language

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Tuesday, May 10, 2005

Ugly American

Some of you may wonder at our frequent appellation of George W. Bush as "Himself". It is frequently used in Irish families to refer to a stubborn, bratty, willful boy, the kind of kid that really needs a good swift kick in the ass. The kind of kid who, if someone doesn't make him unfuck himself soon, is only going to become worse and more intractable as he gets older and turns into a shit of an adult man.

This little episode should illustrate nicely just what a fucking jerk Bush is. I have never understood the notion that Americans, even Democrats, find this man "likable". I do not see at all what is "likable" about him. He's a smart-ass, in about the only way being a smart-ass can be bad. He is incurious and provincial in the most off-putting way, as if he really buys into that "I learned everything I need to know in kindergarten" bullshit. He's an over-privileged frat-boy used to getting his way.

RIGA, Latvia - President Bush is used to taking center stage, even when sharing the dais with other presidents in their own countries.

That made for some awkward moments at a news conference Saturday with Bush and the leaders of three Baltic republics. Host President Vaira Vike-Freiberga of Latvia invited her counterparts from Lithuania and Estonia to make opening statements, but forgot Bush before opening it up to reporters' questions.

Bush interjected, and she demurred to her high-profile visitor.

"I think maybe somebody from across the ocean should be given a chance to make a statement, as well," she said, drawing laughs from Bush and the reporters.

After Bush finished, Vike-Freiberga then explained that they would take four questions — one for each president. Again, Bush tried to interrupt, saying, "Or you can have all four questions to me," knowing that foreign reporters usually want to use the opportunity to probe the U.S. president.

Vike-Freiberga ignored the remark as she called on a Latvian journalist, and Bush threw his arms up and looked to help from aides offstage. The Latvian journalist said he would prefer to question the U.S. leader, and Bush responded, "Yeah, I thought that might be the case."

And as he predicted, all four questions were for him.

And if you saw the excerpt of his extemporaneous "Freedy McFreederton is democratizing the freedorama freedom democracy freedocracy" crap, you got the idea anyway. It's the same autopilot boilerplate he'll give when the UFO proctonauts tractor-beam his stupid ass up for an anal probe.

Of course, the whole idea of visiting the Baltic states was to give Pooty-Poot a nudge anyway, which required maximum face time. But interrupting his host and throwing up his arms, like a petulant third-grader?

Exactly why have we been hearing that "the adults are in charge" all this time? As much as I despised Clinton and his glandular exploits and his tiresome oleaginous inanities, he at least understood quite well how to put the nation's best foot forward. Jesus H. Christ, whatever happened to just being a good fucking guest?

To most Americans, who think we'll be running the world right up till the Rapture starts, it doesn't matter. To the people with their eyes open, who see our already-declining stature picking up speed thanks to our "theoretical" friend Gravity, it's going to matter a lot sooner than they think.

In other if-this-is-Thursday-it-must-be-Liechtenstein news, Bush came across an audience that might not have been quite as hand-picked as he would have liked.

The next question — the last heard by reporters or included in the White House transcript — concerned the cost of the Iraq war.

The unidentified questioner noted that the U.S. had been involved in "a lot of wars," and wondered about the impact on Americans at home.

She said she had recently received a brochure seeking donations for poor people in the United States and asked Bush: "What's the balance between the responsibility to the world and the responsibility to your own people?"

Said Bush: "I think we have a responsibility to both." Reverting to what resembled a campaign stump speech, he then listed the value of small businesses in creating jobs and spoke of the United States' role in fighting HIV/AIDS in Africa and safeguarding freedom around the world.

Media were then asked to leave, though the meeting, held in a window-lined room at a glorious chateau near Maastricht, went on for another half-hour.

Ah, he certainly does keep that charge, doesn't he? The sweet smell of Freedom™, marching up and down the square!

4 comments:

Hi, I like your blog. The list of info on the Bush spawn is great! As far as "Himself"- another interesting bit that endears him to the American public is that he makes up nicknames for people...hmmmmmmmm? Nicknames can be rooted in affection as a nickname for a friend, spouse or child, but I strongly suspect that Bush's name calling is of the type that is used to establish dominance over another person by putting them in an awkward position while elevating oneself. I also suspect that Bush bestows the demeaning monikers while backed up by a crowd or a large tough looking person. Can't you just see what a jerk he was on the playground at school? On Mother's Day I posted a blog about his mother - you can see where he gets it! I'm at The Dishpan Chronicles....KWW

Finally got a chance to check out your blog. Great stuff. Keep fighting the good fight!

I agree with both you & Craig that Bush's habit of doling out nicknames is a frat-boy method of establishing alpha-male turf. It's very off-putting and unseemly, and I can't help but think that Rush and Sean and Ann and the rest of the Horst Wessel gang would have found it a huge reason to piss and moan about Clinton, had it been his thing.

But that's what makes them idolaters and iconodules -- their wampeter can do no wrong. Dear Leader's traits and quirks, were they to manifest themselves in a mere mortal, would be considered disgraceful.

It's only when objectified in their fetish doll that such habits -- bad enough in a ten-year-old but godawful in a supposed adult -- become endearing.

To admit otherwise would be to completely undermine their own image of themselves, projected as it is through their miserable policies and pinched social outlook.

Thank you for this blog. That's all I can say. You most definitely have made this blog into something thats eye opening and important. You clearly know so much about the subject, youve covered so many bases. Great stuff from this part of the internet. Again, thank you for this blog.